Vibratory compacting roller

ABSTRACT

A shaft is rotatably mounted on a frame and carries an imbalanced mass, and a hollow roller coaxially surrounds the shaft and the mass with clearance, having two opposite axial ends one of which is a free end. A tubular support is mounted on the frame and a first sleeve is turnably journalled in the support and projects into the other end of the hollow roller and toward the free end thereof. A second sleeve concentrically surrounds the first sleeve and is connected with the roller for rotation with the same, and also connected in motion-transmitting relationship with the first sleeve. A first drive is connected with the first sleeve for rotating the same and the roller, and a second drive is connected with the shaft for rotating the same and thereby the imbalanced mass.

llnitedi States Patent Piatkowski et a].

[ 1 VIBRATORY COMPACTING ROLLER [75] Inventors: Paul Piatkowski, Kiel; Manfred Birkholz, Schoenkirchen, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Buckau R. Wolf AG, Grevenbroich, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 406,783

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 18, 1972 Germany 2251242 [52] 11.5. C1. 404/117 [51] Int. Cl. E01c 19/38 [58] Field of Search ..404/117,121,122

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,925,759 2/1960 Hillis 404/122 3,105,424 10/1963 Dion 404/1 17 3,192,839 7/1965 404/117 3,225,669 12/1965 404/117 3,416,419 12/1968 Kronholm 404/122 1 Oct. 22, 1974 3,486,427 12/1969 Waschulewski.... 404/117 X 3,610,118 10/1971 Englehard 404/117 3,670,631 6/1972 Gaylord 404/117 Primary ExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker 5 7 ABSTRACT A shaft is rotatably mounted on a frame and carries an imbalanced mass, and a hollow roller coaxially surrounds the shaft and the mass with. clearance, having two opposite axial ends one of which is a free end. A tubular support is mounted on the frame and a first sleeve is turnably journalled in the support and projects into the other end of the hollow roller and toward the free end thereof. A second sleeve concentrically surrounds the first sleeve and is connected with the roller for rotation with the same, and also connected in motion-transmitting relationship with the first sleeve. A first drive is connected with the first sleeve for rotating the same and the roller, and a second drive is connected with the shaft for rotating the same and thereby the imbalanced mass.

9 Claims, 3 1)rawing Figures PATENTED um 22 1914 FIG] VIBRATORY COMPACTING ROLLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a vibratory compactor, and more particularly to a vibratory compacting roller.

Vibratory compacting rollers are already known in the art. Generally speaking they use a drum-shaped roller which is provided in the interior with a coaxial shaft, and with an imbalanced mass which is driven by the shaft so as to impart vibrations to the roller. This type of roller is used for compacting of road beds or the like, and generally speaking the vibratory mass with its drive, and the drive which rotates the roller itself, are independent of one another in the prior art. Another criterion to be considered in the construction of these rollers is that one end of the roller should be free, that is should not be engaged by the frame on which the roller is mounted. The purpose of this is to make it possible for the roller to come as close as possible to curbs, to building walls or the like. It is, for instance, known in so-called double-vibratory rollers to provide the drive which rotates the roller itself, and the other drive which rotates the vibratory mass, both at one axial end of the roller, leaving the opposite axial end free. The torque for rotating the roller is mechanically or hydraulically directly transmitted to the main shaft on which the roller is journalled and which is hollow. A concentric auxiliary shaft extends through the hollow main shaft and carries or is connected with the imbalanced mass.

In addition to the aforementioned type of double vibratory roller, there is another type which is known from the prior art and in which the vibration-producing arrangement is located not in the roller body or bodies directly, but instead this construction uses two roller bodies and the vibratory arrangement is mounted between these two bodies and fixedly connected with the frame which mounts the roller body for rotation.

Both of the aforementioned prior-art constructions have the disadvantage that the vibrations are transmitted not only to the single or dual roller bodies, but also to the entire structure of the frame which is disadvantages as those conversant with this field will realize.

A further construction known from the prior art uses an imbalanced mass which is directly supported on an inner circumferential surface of the roller itself, and is driven electrically or hydraulically. This construction, also, is completely feasible but has the disadvantage that the roller itself is subjected to very strong vibrations and that the effective tangential forces tend to make the roller slip on the surface on which it rolls and on which it is to compact.

However, the prior art has also proposed to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantageous transmission of vibration to the frames mounting the roller or rollers. It has been proposed in the prior art to connect the roller itself with the frame by means of elastic connecting elements. This arrangement has been found to have the disadvantage that the vibration-creating components can oscillate which disadvantageously influences the operation of the entire unit. Moreover, this particular prior-art arrangement necessitates that the frame engage both opposite ends of the roller. which is undesired because one of the ends should be left free for the reasons set forth earlier.

LII

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Another object of the invention is to provide such avibratory compacting roller wherein, although the vibration forces are directly transmitted to the roller body itself, no transmission of the vibration forces takes place to the journals for the roller body, to the drive for the roller body and to the drive for the imbalanced mass which produces the vibrations.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such an improved vibratory compacting roller which has one end free of any obstructions or encumbrances, so that it is possible to come close to curbs, walls or the like with this one end.

In keeping with the above objects, and with others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a vibratory compacting roller, which comprises a frame and a shaft rotatably mounted on the frame and carrying an imbalanced mass. A hollow roller coaxially surrounds the shaft and the mass with clearance, and has two opposite axial ends of which one is a free end. A tubular support is mounted on the frame, and a first sleeve is turnably journalled in this support and projects from the region of the other of the ends towards the one end. A second sleeve concentrically surrounds the first sleeve and is connected with the roller for rotation therewith..ln addition, the second sleeve is connected in motion-transmitting relationship with the first sleeve so that the second sleeve- --and thereby the roller-will turn when the first sleeve is rotated. First drive means is connected with the first sleeve for rotating the same and thereby for rotating the roller, and second drive means is provided, being connected to the shaft for rotating the same and thereby the imbalanced mass.

In order for the frame and associated components to extend outwardly beyond the aforementioned other end of the roller to only a minimum extent, it is advantageous if, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the tubular support journalling the first sleeve extends from the aforementioned upper end into the roller itself and toward the one end thereof.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an axial section through a vibratory compacting roller according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view, showing the detail which is located within the circle A of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a further fragmentary enlarged view, show ing the detail located within the circle B of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Coming now to a detailed description of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, it will be seen that reference numeral 1 identifies an only partially illustrated frame which supports a hollow roller 2 for rotation. The roller 2 is provided at its opposite axial ends with two end plates 3 and 4 which are connected in suitable manner (the details are known and immaterial for an understanding of the invention) with the roller 2 itself. The end plates 3 and 4 carry vibration mounts 5 and 6, respectively, which are also known from the art.

Located within the roller 2 is an imbalanced mass 7 which is arranged coaxially with reference to the longitudinal axis of the roller 2 and is accommodated turnably in a housing 9, being journalled for rotation in the housing 9 by means of the illustrated bearings 11. The housing 9 in turn is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the roller 2 via one or more supports 10. If several supports 10 are provided, then they should be equi-angularly distributed about the inner circumference of the roller 2 and the outer circumference of the housing 9.

A shaft 8 is provided which is driven in rotation by the somewhat diagrammatically illustrated drive 12 which in turn is mounted stationarily in the frame 1. The drive 12 is coupled with the adjacent end of the shaft 8 by means of an elastic coupling 13, that is a coupling which can yield. A similar coupling 14 is provided on that end of the shaft 8 (the right-hand one in FIG. 1) which is adjacent the imbalanced mass 7. A drive ring 25 is mounted on the mass 7 itself and cooperates with a coupling 14 in the manner which is most clearly evident from FIG. 2 to transmit motion to the imbalanced mass 7 so as to rotate it on the shaft 8. The purpose of providing the two elastic couplings is to prevent the transmission of vibrations to the drive 12.

A hollow sleeve 17 is mounted in the interior of the roller 2, intermediate the vibration mounts 5 and 6. A further hollow sleeve 16 is connected to the hollow sleeve 17 by means of a mounting ring 26 (see FIG. 1) and extends outwardly past the roller 2 at the drive end of the same, that is in FIG. 1 at the left-hand end of the roller 2. For this purpose the end plate 4 is provided with an opening for which the sleeve 16 extends. At the outer free end of the sleeve 16 there is provided the drive 18 (see particularly FIG. 3) which rotates the roller 2 about the central longitudinal axis thereof. As FIG. 3 shows most clearly, the drive 18 utilizes a worm wheel 19 which is fixedly connected with the sleeve 16 for rotation with the same, and which is engaged by a worm gear 20 which in turn is driven in rotation by a non-illustrated hydraulic motor or the like.

The sleeve 16 is supported in a tubular support 21 which is rigidly connected with the frame 1 and in the illustrated embodiment extends coaxially into the interior of the roller 2. The sleeve 16 and support 21 define with one another an annular clearance, and in this clearance there are located bearings 22 and 23 which journal the sleeve 16 within the support 21 for rotation relative to the latter. The bearings 22 and 23 are so arranged that it is impossible for the roller 2 to slip axially off the support 21. The bearings 22 and 23 are axially prestressed by an appropriate component, in the illustrated embodiment a dished spring 27 which engages them and prevents such undesired slipping off of the roller 2.

One problem that has been experienced with this general type of vibratory compacting roller, namely the type of roller which is supported only at one axial end by a frame, has been an uneven distribution of the weight of the roller and the vibrations thereof over the soil or ground which is to be compacted. According to the present invention, this problem is overcome in that a counterweight 24 is provided, which is located in the region of the free end of the roller, that is the one remote from the end where the roller is connected with the frame 1. The counterweight 24 will be seen to be mounted between the vibratory mount 5 and the sleeve 17, being fixedly connected with both of them. With this arrangement, the weight and vibrations of the roller 2 will be evenly distributed over the soil or ground on which the roller 2 rests, over the entire axial length of the roller.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a vibratory compacting roller, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications. without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. A vibratory compacting roller, comprising a frame; a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and carrying an imbalanced mass; a hollow roller coaxially surrounding said shaft and mass with clearance, said roller having two opposite axial ends of which one is a free end; a tubular support mounted on said frame; a first sleeve turnably journalled in said support and projecting from the region of the other of said ends towards said one end; a second sleeve concentrically surrounding said first sleeve, connected with said roller for rotation therewith, and connected in motion-transmitting relationship with said first sleeve; first drive means connected with said first sleeve for rotating the same and for thereby rotating said roller; and second drive means connected with said shaft for rotating the same and thereby said imbalanced mass.

2. A roller as defined in claim 1; and further comprising connecting means connecting said first and second sleeves in said motion-transmitting relationship.

3. A roller as defined in claim 1, wherein said support projects in said clearance from said other end towards said one end.

4. A roller as defined in claim 3, wherein said first sleeve extends through said support and defines with the same an annular space; and further comprising bearing means in said space and turnably journalling said first sleeve in said support.

5. A roller as defined in claim 1; and further comprising elastic means connecting said imbalanced mass with said second drive means for rotation by the same.

6. A roller as defined in claim 5, wherein said elastic means comprises elastic coupling elements, said shaft having one end provided with one of said elements which couples the shaft with said imbalanced mass, and another end provided with another of said elements which couples said shaft with said second drive means.

7. A roller as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive means are located adjacent said other end of said roller; and further comprising a counterweight mounted in said roller adjacent said one end thereof.

8. A roller as defined in claim 2; further comprising vibration mounts arranged inwardly of the respective ing fixedly on said roller. 

1. A vibratory compacting roller, comprising a frame; a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and carrying an imbalanced mass; a hollow roller coaxially surrounding said shaft and mass with clearance, said roller having two opposite axial ends of which one is a free end; a tubular support mounted on said frame; a first sleeve turnably journalled in said support and projecting from the region of the other of said ends towards said one end; a second sleeve concentrically surrounding said first sleeve, connected with said roller for rotation therewith, and connected in motion-transmitting relationship with said first sleeve; first drive means connected with said first sleeve for rotating the same and for thereby rotating said roller; and second drive means connected with said shaft for rotating the same and thereby said imbalanced mass.
 2. A roller as defined in claim 1; and further comprising connecting means connecting said first and second sleeves in said motion-transmitting relationship.
 3. A roller as defined in claim 1, wherein said support projects in said clearance from said other end towards said one end.
 4. A roller as defined in claim 3, wherein said first sleeve extends through said support and defines with the same an annular space; and further comprising bearing means in said space and turnably journalling said first sleeve in said support.
 5. A roller as defined in claim 1; and further comprising elastic means connecting said imbalanced mass with said second drive means for rotation by the same.
 6. A roller as defined in claim 5, wherein said elastic means comprises elastic coupling elements, said shaft having one end provided with one of said elements which couples the shaft with said imbalanced mass, and another end provided with another of said elements which couples said shaft with said second drive means.
 7. A roller as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive means are located adjacent said other end of said roller; and further comprising a counterweight mounted in said roller adjacent said one end thereof.
 8. A roller as defined in claim 2; further comprising vibration mounts arranged inwardly of the respective ends and connecting said second sleeve with said roller, and wherein said drive means are located adjacent said other end; and a cOunterweight mounted adjacent said one end on said roller, intermediate said second sleeve and the vibration mount which connects said second sleeve with said roller in the region of said one end.
 9. A roller as defined in claim 1; further comprising a housing surrounding said imbalanced mass with clearance; and connecting members engaging said housing and an inner side of said roller so as to mount said housing fixedly on said roller. 